Real estate terminology can be hard to decipher — for example, what the heck is a maisonette?That might lead to you questioning another confusing term, what is a duplex apartment? A recent search of NYC and northern New Jersey listings that include the word “duplex” brought up nearly 1,700 sale listings. But what makes these units different from other apartments with additional levels? Here is everything New Yorkers need to know about this distinctive apartment type.
Manhattan Homes Under $750K on StreetEasyArticle continues below
Gramercy Park
201 East 21st Street
$700,000
1 |
1
Hamilton Heights
345 West 145th Street
$410,000
1 |
1
Yorkville
400 East 85th Street
$699,000
1 |
1
Upper East Side
150 East 83rd Street
$425,000
1 |
1
Washington Heights
834 Riverside Drive
$435,000
1 |
1
Manhattanville
575 Riverside Drive
$460,000
1 |
1
Turtle Bay
345 East 52nd Street
$725,000
1 |
1
Lenox Hill
166 East 61st Street
$690,000
1 |
1
Sutton Place
36 Sutton Place South
$575,000
1 |
1
Yorkville
237 East 88th Street
$585,000
1 |
1
East Harlem
1885 Lexington Avenue
$530,000
2 |
1
Turtle Bay
319 East 50th Street
$635,000
1 |
1
What Is a Duplex Apartment?
While it’s unclear how duplexes first came to the NYC real estate market, they did inspire headlines when the last luxury prewar apartment building hit the market in the 1930s. The building located at 19 East 72rd Street housed more duplexes than any other floor plan type. So what separates a duplex apartment from other multi-level units spotted on StreetEasy? Here are a couple of guidelines:
First off, a duplex apartment is a two-floor unit connected by stairs or an elevator. Sometimes the lower level is a basement.
Second, both floors must have a legal minimum ceiling height of 8 feet. For example, an apartment with a loft bedroom with a ceiling height of 5 feet is not a duplex, even if it has stairs.
You might see the term maisonette used when describing a duplex. But, here’s the thing, a maisonette could be a duplex, but it also has a private entrance from the outside, while duplexes do not. What about split-levels? Apartments in this category have multiple floors connected by staggered and short sets of stairs.
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Hell’s Kitchen
554 West 50th Street
$2,276No Fee
1 |
1
Central Harlem
252 West 149th Street
$2,225No Fee
2 |
1
Upper East Side
166 East 82nd Street
$2,800No Fee
1 |
1
Yorkville
401 East 89th Street
$2,475No Fee
1 |
1
East Village
338 East 14th Street
$2,829No Fee
1 |
1
South Harlem
115 West 117th Street
$2,500No Fee
Studio |
1.5
Hell’s Kitchen
537 West 49th Street
$2,300No Fee
1 |
1
Yorkville
306 East 83rd Street
$2,200No Fee
1 |
1
Upper West Side
148 West 80th Street
$2,500No Fee
1 |
1
East Harlem
334 East 105th Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
East Harlem
340 East 105th Street
$2,500No Fee
2 |
1
Fort George
480 West 187th Street
$1,850No Fee
1 |
1
Are Duplex Apartments Easy to Find?
Although available as rentals, co-ops, and condos, generally, duplex apartments are relatively rare. They represent a very small percentage of available listings: less than 9% of sales and less than 4% of rentals. You may also be surprised to know that the demand for the unique layout isn’t very high.
“Duplex units are not a popular trend given that most have stairs rather than elevators,” says Agent Karen Kostiw of Warburg Realty. “Stairs in apartments eliminate a large demographic from purchasing an apartment given their lack of easy of use and hazards (i.e., falling).”
Plus, it’s cost-prohibitive for builders. So, newer ones are not as likely to hit the market, adds Frederick Warburg Peters, CEO of Warburg Realty.
With that in mind, buyers are more likely to find duplexes in neighborhoods with more prewar constriction like the Upper East Side and Central Park West. In some instances, if someone wants a duplex in a building where they don’t exist, the person can buy two apartments and combine them. According to Kostiw, if purchased early on in the development process, having the sponsor combine them can be part of the negotiation.
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Marine Park
4209 Quentin Road
$679,000
2 |
1
Borough Park
1238 63rd Street
$599,000
1 |
1
Borough Park
1238 63rd Street
$530,000
1 |
1
Bay Ridge
6735 Ridge Boulevard
$485,000
2 |
1
Borough Park
1238 63rd Street
$628,000
1 |
1
Gravesend
2265 West 7th Street
$525,000
2 |
1
Fort Hamilton
10108 Fourth Avenue
$649,000
2 |
2
Bensonhurst
1722 84th Street
$738,800
2 |
1
Bensonhurst
1722 84th Street
$698,800
2 |
1
Bensonhurst
1722 84th Street
$708,800
2 |
1
Bensonhurst
1722 84th Street
$728,800
2 |
1
Bensonhurst
1722 84th Street
$728,800
2 |
1
Pros and Cons of Duplex Apartments
As with any real estate purchase, there are always pluses and minuses to consider. Here are the pros:
More room: Of course, single-floor apartments can be larger square-footage wise. But having two floors is going to give more of that house-like feel. And they are exceptionally roomy if you have two floors of equal size.
More privacy: Two floors, especially if the bedrooms and living areas are separate, means there’s more space for people to spread out. For example, parents can entertain downstairs while the kids sleep upstairs.
Access to amenities: Since duplexes are situated within a larger building, you would have access to any communal amenities available.
Here are the cons:
Managing stairs: Spiral staircases are not uncommon in a duplex as they are space-saving. But they can be more treacherous for some. “This type of staircase is not for anyone who is not steady on their feet or for use by small children,” says broker Gerard Splendore of Warburg Realty.
Finding a sensible layout: “The first question you should ask yourself is whether or not the layout makes sense for you,” says agent Mihal Gartenberg of Warburg Realty. “For example, where are the bathrooms located, and are they easy to access in the middle of the night? There are cases where the bathroom is on a separate floor to the bedroom.”
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